From The Field

Jul 1, 2008 12:00 PM

Video Analytics Watch Over London Eye

London-based Ipsotek has provided video analytics to the London Eye, the U.K.'s number one paid-for visitor attraction and iconic global landmark. The attraction stands on the south bank of the Thames River in London near Westminster Bridge. During a 30-minute “flight,” visitors experience views from enclosed glass capsules.

Ipsotek installed its scenario-based video analytics detection software on a trial basis after motion detection and a competitor's video analytics system proved unable to cope with the demanding conditions at the site.

“We ran trials to determine the best way of detecting intruders and came up against complications given that the London Eye is not only at a waterfront location, but that the water is tidal,” says Phil Foreman of U.K.-based Universal Security Solutions Ltd. “It was not possible to put cameras on the river bank with a horizontal view because of waves and tidal movement.”

“The first video analytics system we tried could not distinguish between the constant shadows thrown by this huge revolving structure and movement that might be a genuine threat. But Ipsotek's software has the intelligence to absorb information about conditions that are unique to a location,” Foreman adds.

Chris Gomersall, CEO of Ipsotek, says that the project demonstates the versatility of the software. “If you are underneath the wheel, the likelihood is that you are a customer or legitimate operative. But if you have climbed on top of the structure outside scheduled maintenance times, then the client wants alarm bells to ring,” he says.

“The conditions for this installation couldn't have come much tougher,” Gomersall continues. “But Ipsotek can now add the London Eye to a list of successful applications at iconic London locations.”

EDUCATION

UNH Launches Emergency Notification Network

The University of New Hampshire (UNH) in Durham has installed Houston-based Cooper Notification's Roam Secure Alert Network (RSAN) for emergency notification. Using the UNH Alert system, campus public safety officials can now send targeted alerts quickly and reliably via e-mail, text messaging and other channels to students, faculty and staff. Parents of students, alumni and friends of the university can also sign up to receive system messages and alerts at no charge through the UNH Alert Web site.

“Colleges and universities are facing an increasing amount of natural and man-made emergencies,” says Paul Dean, UNH deputy police chief and emergency operations coordinator. “Having transparency with the community allows for better management of emergencies and is part of a best-practices plan for any campus.”

More than 170 RSAN systems are currently operating across the country at local, state and federal government agencies, schools, hospitals, refineries and other businesses. Cooper Notification's Roam Secure Information Exchange (RSIX) technology enables UNH to securely connect with RSAN systems at other schools and in several major metropolitan areas around the country, including Washington, D.C., Philadelphia and San Francisco. The university joins others across the country that are using RSAN for emergency notification, including Villanova University in Pennsylvania, George Mason University in Virginia and the University of Southern California.

TRANSPORTATION

Italy Airport Tests Concealed Object Detection System At Passenger Checkpoints

Ciampino “Giovan Battista Pastine” Airport, Rome's second largest airport and Italy's fifth largest airport with 5.5 million passengers per year, has installed and successfully tested the GEN 2 passive millimeter wave concealed object detection and people screening system from Brijot Imaging Systems, Lake Mary, Fla., for security screening of departing passengers. Pickel Security, a security service provider and consulting firm headquartered in Israel, facilitated the installation.

Brijot's GEN 2 system, which can detect concealed items such as liquids, gels, plastic explosives, narcotics and currency, was deployed at Ciampino's Aviazione Generale (General Aviation Building) for a seven-day trial. Security officials with Aeroporti di Roma, which operates the two Rome international airports, Ciampino and Fiumicino “Leonardo da Vinci” Intercontinental Airport, selected the Brijot system because of its ability to detect materials that are not visible with systems such as metal detectors and X-ray machines.

Aeroporti di Roma security personnel were impressed with the ability of Brijot's GEN 2 system to detect potential threats to departing flights. Airport officials also found the GEN 2's use of passive millimeter wave energy able to satisfy their concerns about privacy, safety and passenger throughput. The full-motion radiometric scanner, which does not impact the health of airport employees or the health and privacy of passengers, can distinguish between the natural energy emitted by the human body and that of concealed objects without detailing any of the body parts of the person being screened.

“As a worldwide security adviser for many high-threat environments, Pickel Security recognizes the need for new technology to prevent the smuggling of dangerous weapons and materials onto planes,” says Boaz Harpaz, chief executive officer of Pickel Security Ltd. “Many airports are still working with dated technology because they are afraid to increase the time at security checkpoints. Brijot's GEN 2 system provides the answer to this problem by moving individuals quickly and easily through checkpoints while providing an added level of detection.”

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© 2008 Penton Media Inc.

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